Hooded garment with embedded side views

ABSTRACT

Garment with a hood providing a wearer with hood embedded peripheral viewing capability and without compromising a wearer&#39;s protection from the elements is presented. Provides hood wearer protection from image recording surveillance state by offering a hoodie with peripheral viewing without exposing a wearer&#39;s face, without complicated side flaps, snaps or accessory caps, visors and/or bills.

BACKGROUND Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to the field of garment with clothing articles having hoods, including sweatshirts, outwear, vest, down jacket, ski wear etc. More particularly, the present invention relates to such garments having a non-receding hood with embedded peripheral or side view ports.

Background

Hooded garments generally obstruct a wearer's side views but are tolerated for the benefits conferred by the hood. Thus, a hood wearing individual turning his head to the right to observe the right side, the hood remains in its original position, or near to its original position, and obstructs or impairs the individual's view looking to the right or left as the case may be. A hood is generally attached to a top garment at the shoulder collar of such as a jacket, outerwear, robe, etc at the base portion of the hood generally near the wearer's neck. Hoods are generally designed to prevent rain and wind from striking the face of the hood wearer. In some situations, hoods are used to make the wearer anonymous or mysterious, to protect the identity and preserve privacy in a public arena. A big benefit of a hooded garment is that generally and most of the time the hood part of a garment is not worn on the head, but lays flung flat on the wearers shoulders and back, unused.

Some remedies to view beyond a hoods obstruction of side view include a bill-like extension that extends outwardly from the top of the hood to protect the forehead and face of the wearer while allowing the hood side edge to be folded back. These are insufficient to allow looking to the side without moving the bill or extension and reveal or expose the face to the elements or worse, public scrutiny.

Typically hooded jackets for sportsmen are designed to provide maximum protection for the head in extreme conditions. Thus, the hood needs to protect the wearer's face by wrapping around the side of the face and extending beyond the face from above. A relatively loose fitting hood is more comfortable in the rain, or to accommodate other head coverings that the wearer may wish to wear, such as a sports cap or visor. These all still make it impossible to see to the sides when worn with a hood.

Hooded garment having a fastening system allowing the side flaps to be secured towards the back of the wearer's head via snaps to allow a wearer side vision are also deficient. A bill or cap located along the front top edge of the hood generally above the wearer's eyes covers the wearer's head and is designed shade the eyes. In some solutions, a fastening system is provided on the base of the bill, which is the area of the bill. The hood, the fastening system on the hood, the cap, the bill, and side flaps with the fastening system on the bill are all configured and sized so that the cap will properly position the hood on the wearer's head, keep the sun off the face and allow side viewing.

The cap will hold the hood in a proper position relative to the face so that the hood protects the wearer's face from rain and elements, but prevents the user's face from being unnecessarily obstructed. But this also has the distinct disadvantage if being overly complicated, cumbersome, stiff and worst of all allowing the face to be exposed. Since the hood has some stiffness, the snaps also operate to push the hood sideways.

In yet other hood adjustment solutions, the fastening system allows a wearer to strap a cap or cap bill of any size in to the hood of the garment using a permanent attachment system. The permanent attachment system is comprised of an elastic band disposed between the inner and outer layers of the hood with its two ends protruding through two holes in the inner hood such that the outer layer of the hood shows no portion of the system. The ends of the elastic strip have two hooks which may be stretched over the edges of the cap.

Some hood garments included conductive wire assemblies for electronic ear buds and other accessories. These hoods are especially difficult to wear as head cover because there is no possibility of side vision and a flap and cap assembly only makes that worse. A double visor with frame solution also makes peripheral vision a challenge, protecting the wearer's face from the top but not the sides of the head.

What is needed is a hooded garment that will have little or no complications, will be at the ready for use without protruding visors or bills, but will cover the face and head without obstruction to any side view and without exposure to the wearer's face.

SUMMARY

The present invention discloses a garment with a hood having embedded peripheral viewing ports of a fabric material hood covering a wearers head, hood having roughly two lateral side ports and a back component and having embedded side view ports on each lateral side of the hood. Each hood lateral side view ports being more or less similar in construction and shape, is positioned more or less at wearer's eye level and having at least one effective width of between 1 mm to 20 cm and a length measured at least 1 mm from a hood face edge and extending towards the rear or back of the hood with a length of between 1 mm and 30 cm. The lateral side view port edges having structural support on the port edges to resist hood material from tearing through regular use such that the hood garment wearer has unobstructed view to the front and sides while hood obscures a wearer's face while wearing the hooded garment.

The garment with a hood have side view port with stitched view port edges for stiffening and maintaining the side view port in a hoods fabric. The side view port can be of reinforced patch construction or embedded structural rigid components coupled to the port edges for strengthening the side view port structural stability in a hood fabric.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Specific embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the following figures.

FIG. 1 illustrates the hood embedded side view port having structural edge reinforcement

FIG. 2 illustrates the embedded hood side view port with a patch type reinforcement construction

FIG. 3 illustrates the hood embedded side view port with an edge stitching construction

FIG. 4 illustrates the hood embedded side view port edge stitching construction

FIG. 5 illustrates the hood embedded side view port with various shaped port having fabric port reinforcement and stitching styles

FIG. 6 illustrates the hood embedded side view port with various shaped port see-through fabric or flexible plastic of various colors

FIG. 7 illustrates the hood embedded side view port of various shaped port washable mesh or netting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the description.

Objects and Advantages

An object of the invention is to provide a hoodie with peripheral viewing capability and without compromising a wearer's protection from the elements.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hoodie with peripheral viewing without exposing a wearer's face to provide for peripheral viewing.

Yet another object if the invention is to improve wearer's visibility without exposing a wearer's face.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a hoodie with peripheral viewing without complicated side flaps and snaps with accessory caps, visors and/or bills.

Yet still another object of the invention is to provide a hoodie with peripheral viewing without allowing unobstructed camera exposure from without.

Another object of the invention is to provide hood side view capability without increasing garment complexity and components.

An object of the invention is to provide hood side view capability integrated with designs for logos, trademarks, symbols and art.

Another object of the invention is to provide safety enhancing hood integrated side view capability for bikers and drivers while biking or driving respectively.

Yet still another object of the invention is to provide a hoodie with peripheral viewing while ensuring wearer's anonymity.

The present invention discloses an garment with hood with embedded peripheral view features.

These features will reference various language descriptions for the same or similar component of the invention, the hood lateral side view port. These are also called hood side opening(s), viewing slot even though the shape may differ from rectangular, side slot, side view ports, peripheral view ports, eye ports, hoodeyes, hood side view port, etc

Embodiments and aspects of the invention are described in figure order below.

FIG. 1 illustrates hood embedded side view port having structural edge reinforcement integrated into a surrounding design artifact. The port polygon shape or design could be a symbol, a trademark, logo or simply art for enhancing the hood garment. A fabric material hood 111 will cover a wearers head and face with a typical hood having roughly two lateral sides, top and a back component contiguous with and connecting the sides and back. An aspect of the invention provides a hood with embedded side view ports 113, embedded on each lateral side of the hood 111. Each of at least two hood lateral side view ports 113 will be more or less similar in construction and shape, positioned more or less at wearer's eye level 103 and have at least one effective width 105 of between 1 mm to 12 cm and a length 109 measured at least 1 mm from a hood face edge 115 and extending towards the rear or back of the hood with a length 107 of between 1 mm and 25 cm. The lateral side view port edges will be more or less structurally support the embedding fabric to maintain hood material from tearing through regular use.

Thus shown garment with a hood has an embedded peripheral viewing port of a fabric material hood covering a wearers head and face, hood having roughly two lateral sides and a back component. The hood has embedded side view ports on each lateral side of the hood more or less similar in construction and shape, positioned more or less at wearer's eye level and having at least one effective width of between 1 mm to 40 mm and a length measured at least 1 mm from a hood face edge and extending towards the rear or back of the hood with a length of between 1 mm and 10 cm. In an embodiment of the invention the lateral side view port edges having flexible support on the port edges to resist hood material from tearing through regular use, while providing the hood garment wearer unimpaired view to the front and sides while hood obscures a wearer's face.

FIG. 2 illustrates the hood embedded side view port with a patch type reinforcement construction. Although the hoodeyes will be at an angle with the top of the hood 219, the worn hoodeyes hood will take the contour of a wearer's head 217, can be of any color and is designed to support a hoodeyes or side view portal embedded in the hood at substantially the wearer's eye level or slightly below the wearers eye level. The hood will have an inside 203 and an outside 211 substantially mirror image lateral sides having a front hood edge 209, top center 205 and view ports 201 207. Each view port or port 201, 207 will have an fabric reinforcement 213 surrounding each port 201 209. The reinforcement can be sewn or coupled by adhesive and structurally embedded on an inside 203 or outside 211 of the hood fabric. The fabric reinforcement 213 surrounding and supporting the view port can have various shapes 215 216. In an embodiment of the invention a grommet-like edge 216 re-enforcement may be used. The side view port having reinforced patch coupled to the port edges also serves for maintaining the side view port structural stability to resist wear and tear in a hood fabric.

FIG. 3 illustrates the hood embedded side ports with and side port edge structural component construction for a hood garment front 309, side 311 and rear 313 perspective. In an embodiment of the invention a hood can have more than one lateral side view port 301 302 which can mirror the opposite lateral side 303 304 of the hood. The side perspective 311 illustrates the substantially eye level nature of the side port(s) 305 306 and the rear perspective 313 side port ports 307 providing a more complete visual with overlapping views of a periphery.

FIG. 4 illustrates the hood embedded side view port edge 401 stitched construction. As in the structural and patch construction, the stitched edge port border, not unlike a knitted shirt or jacket buttonhole, can be of various and alternate stitching patterns, thread and port polygonal shapes/sizes. In another embodiment of the invention, a wireless camera 403 405 can be stitched into or embedded into the back or rear component of a hood providing a rear view for the wearer. A wireless camera image can be viewed on a wireless connected portable screen as in a smartphone.

FIG. 5 illustrates the hood embedded side view port structural components embedded into the hood fabric with various shaped port dimensions having fabric port structural reinforcements 501 503 with a channel for pressure coupling the component with a surrounding port edge fabric. The port edge stitching styles and patterns 505 507 are also shown. The port edge reinforcement structure components 501 503 can be of light weight material such as plastic, composite, metal, or combinations. The reinforcement structures are coupled to the hoodie through clamping of the hood port edge fabric in the reinforcement structure channel and closing the channel gap 501 thus providing a grip pressure securing the structure component to the port fabric surrounding edge. In another embodiment of the invention the entire port edge is stitched to prevent port tear from hood garment stresses, thus insuring a garment sustaining port.

FIG. 6 illustrates a hood 602 embedded side view port cover 601of see-through fabric 605 or flexible plastic of various colors 603. The see-through fabric 605 can be stitched, glued or otherwise coupled to the hood embedding the port 601 without obscuring wearer side vision. In an embodiment of the invention hood garment ports fabric work to keep heat inside the hood and fluid outside.

FIG. 7 illustrates the hood 703 embedded side view port 701 of various shaped ports with washable mesh, veil, netting, semi-transparent or synthetic fabric port covers 705 707. The hood port mesh, veil, netting, synthetic fabrick or in layered combination cover 705 707 provide some physical barrier and additional shielding from incoming light or weather from outside the hood. In addition, the mesh, veil or netting covers add fabric strength integrity to the hood for a more durable garment.

Therefore, while the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this invention, will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope of the invention as disclosed herein. Other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A garment with a hood having embedded peripheral viewing comprising: a garment with fabric material hood for covering a wearers head, hood having a face opening, roughly two lateral sides, top and a back component contiguous with and connecting the sides; the hood having embedded side view ports on each lateral side of the hood; each hood lateral side having at least one embedded view port being more or less similar in construction and shape, positioned for more or less at wearer's eye level viewing and having at least one effective width of between 1 mm to 20 cm and a length measured at least 1 mm from a hood face edge and extending towards the rear or back of the hood with a length of between 1 mm and 30 cm, and the lateral side view port edges having flexible support on the port edges to resist hood material from tearing through regular use, whereby the hood garment wearer has hood unobstructed view to the front and sides as the hood protects a wearer's head and face while wearing the hooded garment.
 2. Garment with a hood as in claim 1 further comprising embedded side view ports having stitched port edges for strengthening the side view port in a hoods fabric.
 3. Garment with a hood as in claim 1 further comprising embedded side view ports having reinforced patch coupled to the port edges for strengthening the side view port structural stability in a hood fabric.
 4. Garment with a hood as in claim 1 further embedded side view ports having grommet-like coupled port edges for strengthening the side view port integrity.
 5. Garment with a hood as in claim 1 further comprising a side view port having transparent synthetic fabric covering the port for strengthening the port structural integrity as well as weather integrity.
 6. Garment with a hood as in claim 1 further comprising a side view port having a mesh, veil, netting or semi-transparent fabric covering the port for strengthening the port structural integrity.
 7. Garment with a hood as in claim 1 further comprising a miniature wireless camera on a hood's rear, cameral electronically coupled to a smartphone or other video image viewing devices.
 8. Garment with a hood as in claim 1 further comprising a side view port surrounding hood area having the port integrated as part of the hood surrounding art, design or commercial decaled artifact or symbol.
 9. Method for a garment with a hood having peripheral viewing comprising the steps of: providing a garment having a fabric material hood covering for a wearers head, hood having an open front, with two lateral sides, top and a back component; embedding side view ports of see-through fabric on each lateral side of the hood; positioning hood side view port more or less at or within wearer's peripheral view, ports being of more or less similar in construction and shape, and having at least one effective width of between 1 mm to 12 cm and a length measured at least 1 mm from a hood face edge front and extending towards the rear or back of the hood with a length of between 1 mm and 10 cm, and having the lateral side view port edges with structural support on the port edges to resist hood material from tearing through regular use, whereby the hood Garment wearer has unobstructed view to the front and sides while hood obscures a wearer's face while wearing the hooded garment.
 10. Method for garment with a hood in claim 9 further comprising the steps of: providing side view port having stitched port edges for supporting the side view port in a hoods fabric.
 11. Method for Garment with a hood in claim 9 further comprising the steps of providing a side view port having reinforced patching fabric with adhesive coupled to the port edges for strengthening the side view port structural stability in a hood fabric.
 12. Method for garment with a hood in claim 9 further comprising the steps of embedding side view port having port edge rigid components coupled port edges for strengthening the side view port integrity.
 13. Method for garment with a hood in claim 9 further comprising the steps of embedding a side view port of transparent synthetic fabric for weather protection and port structural integrity.
 14. Method for garment with a hood in claim 9 further comprising the steps of embedding a mesh, veil, netting, semi-transparent or see-through fabric covering the port for port structural integrity while reducing incoming light from outside of the hood.
 15. Method for garment with a hood in claim 9 further comprising the steps of embedding a miniature wireless camera on a hood's rear, cameral electronically coupled to a smartphone or other video image viewing devices.
 16. Method for garment with a hood in claim 9 further comprising the steps of embedding side view port surrounding hood area having the port integrated as part of the hood with surrounding art, design or commercial decaled artifact or symbol. 